Interest in travel insurance was growing even before the pandemic hit, with CNN Travel reporting that “Americans spent nearly $3.8 billion on travel protection in 2018, including on policies for trip cancellation and interruption, emergency medical and medical evacuation.” This figure from 2018 represented an increase of more than 40% from 2016. However, most travelers found themselves out of luck when COVID-19 ambushed their travel plans, because most travel insurance didn’t cover pandemics.

As travel starts to ramp up again, many travelers are looking for travel insurance plans that cover the hardships that can occur when the world is still dealing with a pandemic, including comprehensive cancellation policies and financial coverage in the event of illness caused by COVID-19. 

A boost in travel insurance purchasing is a good thing for insurance brands, but differentiating plans and services to drive interest from travel insurance shoppers can be tricky in a crowded market. Travel insurance providers, including Travelex, Allianz and World Nomads, have launched apps, partnerships, social media campaigns and contests to create brand awareness, boost consumer engagement and drive conversions.

Travelex Introduces App Offering On-The-Go Travel Advice & Updates

Travelex Insurance, an Omaha-based travel insurance provider offering services since 1996, recently debuted an app “designed to enhance customers’ demand for increased safety and peace of mind,” according to a press release about the launch. The Travelex app, called Travel On, is available for free to customers who purchase “Travelex’s most popular leisure travel protection plans.” The app offers “destination intelligence and travel advice” ranging from food and water safety to updates about vaccinations and local news. The Travelex app supports the desire to travel while calming the nerves and uncertainty about what to expect. “The timing is right to introduce the Travel On app with the purchase of a Travelex plan. First and foremost, it will provide meaningful information to our customers before and during their trip, ensuring they always feel secure and connected”, said Shannon Lofdahl, president & CEO of Travelex Insurance. “This is just the beginning; we plan to continue adding features and functionality based on our customer needs and feedback.” Any brand associated with travel is aware of the range of emotions many consumers are feeling right now. Offering positive, effective messaging that answers questions and creates trust is a smart way to address those emotions.

Allianz Promotes Partnership With Olympic & Paralympic Movements Across Instagram And Twitter

In January, Allianz SE, parent company of travel insurance provider Allianz Partners, announced that an “eight-year worldwide partnership with the Olympic & Paralympic Movements,” would begin “in earnest” after news of the collaboration was announced several years ago. In the interim, Allianz has been promoting the partnership in target markets, including Australia, China, France and Spain, and will now transition to campaigns around the world. “As one of the best known international events in the world, the Olympic Movements have always been closely tied to the desire to travel in order to meet new people and experience new cultures and destinations,” said Elena Edwards, CEO of Allianz Partners USA. “As a leading provider of travel insurance and travel assistance services, we’re proud to partner with the Olympic Movements to provide travel protection to athletes and fans as they traverse the globe.”

The Allianz partnership with the Olympics and Paralympics is being promoted across Twitter and Instagram, where the brand kicked off a hashtag campaign encouraging users to share how they’re challenging themselves with the hashtag #Allianz100days. The travel insurance brand also posted videos highlighting para-athletes around the world. An effective partnership shared across social media can highlight brand purpose while drawing attention to products and services, leading to organic growth and boosting conversions.

World Nomads Kicks Of Contest Focused On Being A Responsible Traveler

In the early days of the pandemic, there was a lot of discussion about what travel would look like when all was said and done and if people would return to the same attractions, many of which had become overrun with tourists in recent years. World Nomads, a travel planning and insurance agency focused on adventure trips and people who like to explore off the beaten path, kicked off a contest that asks travelers how they intend to travel more responsibly in the future. “As the world recovers from the current crisis, we have an opportunity and a choice to treat the people and places we travel to with greater respect and thought. It’s time to chart a new trajectory for how we travel – one that focuses on the needs of the communities and environments that we visit,” explains the Australian-based travel insurance brand. 

Entrants to the contest send World Nomads a 50-word response, their personal info and whether they typically buy travel insurance. Prizes include $5,000 in spending money, vouchers to tours and accommodations, carbon credits and sustainable outdoor products. In addition to driving interest in its brand with the contest, the data collected from the contest allows World Nomads to re-engage consumers later, with personalized campaigns that factor in location, age and level of interest in travel insurance purchases. The campaign was promoted on Twitter and across the World Nomads website, which is full of shared stories and photographs of travel, offering a different kind of experience for insurance browsers than a typical insurance site.

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